Climbing attachment for skis



June 6, 1950 L. N. LA SALLE CLIMBING ATTACHMENT FOR SKIS Filed Aug. 2, 1948 Patented June 6, 1950 TENT OFFICE f CLIMB'INGATTACHMENT Foa SKIS r I Lewis N.- LaSalle, Merced, Calif.

Application August 2, 1948, Serial No. 41,956

to provide, a novel climbing attachment for skis.

Another object of the invention is to provide a climbing attachment for skis, which comprises,'on each ski, a device adapted to secure on the ski underneath in a traction position, or on top ofthe ski when not in use, selectively.

A further object of the invention is to provide a climbing attachment for skis, as in the preceding paragraph, wherein the device, for each ski, is retained securely in its traction position, .or in its non-use position, by cooperative engagement with the transversely spaced, longitudinal cables of the corresponding ski binding.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a climbing attachment for skis, which is simple in structure and thus economical to manufacture; the attachment, nevertheless, being sturdy and rugged and thus not readily subject to damage when in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable climbing attachment for skis, and one which will be exceedingly eifective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of one of the attachment devices in use.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of said devices, detached.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sid elevation of one of the devices mounted on a ski in the carrying, non-use position.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the invention is adapted to be used on each ski, in connection with a conventional ski binding of the type which includes a tension spring I engaged about the heel 2 of the ski boot 3; the end portions of the tension spring I projecting forwardly and connecting with the rear ends of a forwardly projecting endless, flexible cable 4.

A toe clamp unit 5 mounted on the ski engages the sole of the ski boot 3 at the forward end, and said toe clamp unit 5 includes laterally projecting cable hold-down guides 6 under which the runs of the flexible cable 4 engage.

At its forward end the flexible cable 4 is engaged by a releasable, cable tensioning unit 1 mounted on the ski; the unit 1 when closed or latched exerting a tension on the longitudinal transversely spaced runs of the cable 4, loading 3 Claims. (Cl. 2801l..13)

2 r the spring i whereby to maintain the'ski boot 3 in the binding. I

The present invention provides, for use in co.- operation with a ski binding, as above, the following climbing attachment for use by the skier when it is desired to ascend a snow covered sur face: 2

Each ski of the pair is provided with'a climbing attachment device, and as both are identical, a description of one will sufiice. Y Each climbing attachment device is preferably formed from a single sheet of metal and comprises an upwardly opening rectangular cradle 8 of a width and depth to straddle the ski 9 from below at a point between the toe clamp unit 5 and cable tensioning unit 1 in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

The rectangular cradle 8 includes a bottom plate I 0 and upstanding end flanges I l at substantially right angles thereto.

At their upper edges, and centrally of the ends thereof, the flanges ll each are formed with a laterally outwardly projecting saddle 12.

A rectangular, climbing or traction plate l3 depends from the forward edge of the bottom plate ID at a slight rearward slope; such plate l3 bein of substantially the same width as the cradle 8.

Laterally outwardly opening hooks I 4, struck from the plate I 3, project forwardly from the latter on opposite sides and adjacent its upper edge; said hooks l 4 projecting laterally no further than the corresponding side edges of said plate l3.

When the above described climbing attachment device is used on a ski the cradle 8 straddles the ski from below between the toe clamp unit 5 and cable tensioning unit 7, with the runs of the flexible cable 4 engaged under the saddles l2. Thereafter, when said runs of the cable are tensioned by the unit 1, they exert a forceful lift on the saddles l2 and cradle 8, whereby to secure the climbing attachment device in place for use. At this point it should be note-d that the runs of the flexible cable 4 would normally incline, when tensioned, above the position of the saddles l2, and it is for this reason that when engaged below the saddles the tensioned runs of the cable pull upwardly 0n the device to positively hold it in place.

When the ski climbing attachment is not in use it is removed from the under side of the ski and disposed in a carrying position atop the ski, as in Fig. 3, wherein the face of the climbing or traction plate I3 rests on the upper surface of the' ski, with the cable runs engaged in the laterally outwardly opening hooks [4 for retention of the device in place. As so mounted, each device may be carried atop the ski without interfering in the least with normal skiing.

To ascend a hill it is a quick and simple manual operation operation to change each device from its carrying position on top the ski to its climbing or traction position below the same.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been provided such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may, be resorted to as do notforfn a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A climbing attachment device for a ski, com- ,prising a cradle adapted to straddle the ski from below, the cradle including upstanding end flanges, saddles projecting laterally outwardly from said flanges, such saddles being adapted to engage over adjacent tensioned cable runs of a binding on theski, and a traction plate depending from the bottom of said cradle.

2. ,A climbing attachment device fora ski, comprising a cradle adapted to straddle'the ski from'below, the cradle including upstanding end flanges, saddles projecting laterally outwardly from said flanges adapted to engage over adja-- cent tensioned cable runs of a binding on the ski, and a traction plate depending from the bottom of said cradle; there being laterally opening, forwardly projecting hooks on the traction plate adjacent opposite edges adapted to engage under said tensioned cable runs upon the device being removed from below the ski and seated atop the same with the face of said plate against the upper surface of said ski.

3. A climbing attachment device for a ski, comprising a cradle including a bottom plate and upstanding end flanges, saddles projecting laterally out from the end flanges, and a traction plate depending from the forward edge of the bottom plate; there being laterally opening, forwardly projecting hooks on the traction plate adjacent oppositeends thereof.

LEWIS N. LA SALLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file -.of "this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,176,226 Reed, Jr Oct. '17, 1939 2,358,213 Courage Sept. 12, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 626,908 France May 24,1927 

